Ring-necked Duck - Aythya collaris

This year we've been fortunate to view greater than average numbers of Ring-necked Ducks,Aythya collaris. At Las Gallinas in November we watched a raft of up to 100 Ring-necks, swimming and foraging as a pretty close group, but seemingly not paired up. Similarly, in early December at the Sacramento NWR we counted a flock of over 400 unpaired Ring-necks in the pond near the viewing platform. Since then numbers have declined at both locations, for whatever reason(s). Perhaps the drought has played a role, but water levels seemed about the same at these managed areas.

Fast forward to January 30, where we watched a few Ring-necked ducks on Jan 30, close to the viewing platform on the auto route at Sac NWR. The pair shown here appeared to have formed a bond, as they rested quietly.

Pair formation in Anatidae, the Duck Family, is variable. The Geese and Swans are known to mate for life, whereas most the the usual duck species we see here (dabbling and diving ducks) are seasonally monogamous, forming the pair bond on the wintering grounds or during migration. The Ring-necked Ducks are thought to form pairs during migration, which for them means March and April, as they head to subarctic breeding areas across Canada and the the northern U. S.  Perhaps this paired were simply hanging out as birds of a feather, rather than a bonded pair, but they did not drift apart in the period we watched.

Good article on waterfowl breeding:http://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-biology/waterfowl-mating-systems/

Overcast afternoon light is usually bad for birds with bright coloration or complex plumage, but it works nicely for species that have a lot of black and white. 

The identification of the male Ring-necked Duck is pretty straightforward if you can see the bill, with the prominent white outline where the bill joins the face. When the bill is tucked it's still pretty straightforward, as there are only 2 diving ducks (Aythya species) with black backs, and the grayflank with the upward white spur at the shoulder is distinctive for the Ring-necked male. The uncommon Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula, is the other black-backed diving duck, but the male has a bright white flank and a less prominent spur at the shoulder. So when viewing a large flock of diving ducks, say at an area like Lake Merritt in Oakland, check for ducks with black backs, and then check their flanks to see if gray or white.

Here's a shot of a Tufted Ducks taken at Aquatic Park, Berkeley about 6 years ago.

Note the very white flank and the lack of a white ring on the bill. Oh, and the tuft!

And here's one from Lake Merritt, Oakland. Can't see the tuft well, but note the white flank and the lack of a white ring on the bill.

White-faced Ibis - Plegadis chihi

The Central Valley is a great place to view wintering White-faced Ibises, although you're never quite sure where you'll run into them. They forage in agricultural lands, flooded fields, and a variety of wetlands and fresh-water marshes. The White-faced Ibis is similar to the Glossy Ibis of the Gulf Coast, but the 2 species don't often hybridize, even when on the same breeding grounds. They feed on a variety of animal prey, ranging from small insects and earthworms up through crustaceans, snails and even small fish.

While at the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge this past Wednesday, Patti and I were lucky to watch a lone White-faced Ibis foraging directly in front of the viewing platform. Dull afternoon light was not the most flattering for photos, but we got great looks of the bird probing deeply with its sensitive bill, feeling for prey items on the bottom of the pond or in the mud. The shots barely hint at the beautiful iridescent colors one might see in better light.

We watched the White-faced Ibis feeding actively for over 20 minutes. It likely found and consumed some aquatic insects during that period, and it eventually came up with what looked like a crayfish, which it promptly swallowed.

Thought it might be worth taking a video to show the active probing methods it used, similar to those of the longer-billed shorebirds. The videos were shot through the scope using my regular camera, the Nikon V1.

Longer video (15 sec.):http://youtu.be/dRuRy3ob1I0

Shorter video (6 sec.):http://youtu.be/QUhqoYHbYFI

Lincoln's Sparrow - Melospiza lincolnii

Patti and I just returned from a 3 day birding trip in the Sacramento Valley, including Lake Solano and the refuges. The last bird I photographed, at Lake Solano (Putah Creek) was found by Patti, who waved excitedly and pointed urgently to a bush along the river bank. A sparrow was perched there, rather backlit, but a quick look suggested a Lincoln's Sparrow. I snapped one quick shot and it flew off, as Lincoln's Sparrows tend to drop out of sight with annoying speed. A quick look at the photo was a bit disappointing (underexposed), but it appeared that some detail could be coaxed out of the shadows, or so I hoped.

The shot was sharp enough to attempt a photoshop rescue, which I did on returning home, using LightRoom 4.0. Mainly I used adjustments for lighting and contrast, and I was pleased with the result below. Lincoln's Sparrows often pop us just briefly, preferring to forage in a area with good cover. I never had a chance to fire off a second shot.

We were pleased that the "enhanced" version confirmed our field ID. Note the buffy eye ring (you may have to enlarge the photo), slightly buffy malar stripes, fine streaking in the throat, and nicely streaked breast with a central spot like the Song Sparrow, and the white belly.

Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, is one of the 3 Melospiza sparrows that are seen in the U.S., along with the ubiquitous Song Sparrow and the less commonly seen Swamp Sparrow.

Green Heron

The water treatment ponds at Las Gallinas (San Rafeal) host a rich variety of birds. On a recent trip there a Green Heron provided some close looks as he foraged intently along the rocky shoreline of pond #3.

Too close for a full frame shot.

Green Heron, Butorides virescens, is seen regularly at these ponds, often located by following a flying bird to note where it lands. Once they land they don't move very much, as they watch intently for prey, usually staring at the water. Their neck is kept flexed, ready to extend in a sudden strike. Distance here was about 20', too close for a full frame photo of this 18" bird.

Note the black cap, rich chestnut on the side of the head and neck, and the precise white edging of feathers of the wing (coverts). Their posture is a bit like that of a Night-crowned Heron, The Green Heron will not be mistaken for any other species. 

The the Green Heron extends his neck to get a better view of potential prey

The Green Heron is part of a complex once called the Green-backed Heron, then conidered a single species, but since split into 2-3 species, including the dark endemic Galapagos (Lava) Heron, B sundevalli, and the widely distributed Striated (Mangrove) Heron, B. striata.

While I watched the Green Heron succeeded several time in catching minnows, and once was able to get two fish with a single strike!

The last shot is my favorite, as he turned to look about to see if anyone had admired his prowess, giving me a good look at the eye and lore area.